Doctor Who

One episode left and here is Smurfs Take on Season 11 of Doctor Who

Over the decades Doctor Who has been and meant many different things to me. Hero, champion, defender, inspiration, wit, the list is long lets face it. With every regeneration the Doctor being a mix of the same and something different from the last but always excited to see what happens next. I’m feeling all of that and more with the current regenerated Doctor having one episode left in Jodie Whittaker’s freshman season.

To be honest this first season has not been the best with more misses than hits. Everyone has been asking my thoughts and feels about the season, either I have deflected or avoided because I wanted to look at it as a whole picture. The first episode is never a fair gauge or by any means the tone being set for the rest of the season. Thank god because I was not impressed with what felt like a rushed episode. I didn’t even have time to care about the loss of a character that was there specifically for some form emotional attachment and reaction. A monster that is best explained as the Tooth Fairy in a story that just felt unfinished and incomplete like the grand opening of a department store that isn’t really ready. I think that has been one the biggest plagues for this season; the writing.

I have enjoyed the episodes being a little longer and in some of the episodes the time was well spent. But in many cases its not and Ghost Monument is a perfect example of time wasted, when we finally get to the TARDIS; the focus of the whole episode, it’s just glossed over. The interior is completely new! But because the writing was so bad and felt they had to explain everything to the viewer it took away from us experiencing the joy and excitement of the story. This is one of the common problems for most of the episodes, the need to explain instead of show. I understand with Sci-Fi there comes a certain level of political and social statement but if told well you don’t notice and it makes you think about the world around you. When the story is stopped to tell me what the point is out of fear I’m not getting the message is just bad writing. Not every episode needs to have a statement, there is such a thing as just a good story or, character building. But when you are really good you can have it all and not even see it till the end like Kerblam. We go to the planet Amazon and have our minds set to who the villain is just to get the curve ball at the end, the perfect balance and one of the better episodes of the season. Most of the episodes have left little to no time for the monster face off. All this build up trying to create suspense, and explain the meaning of every little detail is tiresome. There have been a few very cool monsters, some solid twists but the fact is we are still stuck on Earth and no soundtrack.

Jodie Whittaker’s take on the Doctor has been entertaining and fun; while fresh still has a great classic feel to it harking back to Baker and Davidson era right down to not flying the TARDIS well. I fear her Doctor however may suffer the same as Matt Smith’s did with the writing being more the problem than anything else. She is engaging and wonderful with every thought laid out for all to hear I just wish we had got more time with her and same goes for the companions. Sticking with more of the classic Who formula of multiple companions has been a hit and I feel we have hardly scratched the surface. Only getting a deep look into Yaz thanks to Arachnids in the UK and Demons of the Punjab. Gram and Ryan just stuck together most of the time to help bridge the gap between them that we see a resolution to at the end of It Takes You Away. Believable outcome? Who’s to say since these character are exactly the same since episode one. The one I would like to see more of is Graham, I can’t help but get a Jamie feel from him in every scene he is in. The comfort and ease with the Doctor, the questions at the right time and emotional range are fantastic. Yaz is just sort of angry most of the time and Ryan is scared and confused, I can only hope in the seasons to come they can expand their range a bit more.

I love the new opening credits and music, I love the Doctor and companions, and the new TARDIS is great but would like to see more of it. Was it a good season? To be honest I am left with a feeling of wanting. No soundtrack I am finding more and more annoying, creepy noises does not fill that hole. There wasn’t a dare to be great moment in my mind. Nothing stood out as the Doctor has arrived and I can only think of one Monster that I hope we see more of. And while I can appreciate a new approach some stories should be better polished before hitting the air. I can only hope next season will be better as they start to find their stride. For now I will go with an alright season and one I can’t wait to put behind me and look forward to the last episode of the season and the Christmas Special.